'Socialism always fails' is a stupid argument | Hakim | History Teacher Reacts

Hakim @YaBoiHakim discusses why the idea that "socialism always fails" is an untrue argument. His main thesis includes that attention is paid on the struggles of socialist states, but none on failing capitalist states. What will Mr. Terry think?

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[MrTerry]

Do you think "socialism always fails" is a stupid argument?

[mjp]

22:44 I don’t think the claim is that the economics of a failed capitalist state aren’t discussed, it’s that *capitalism* isn’t blamed for those economic failures, even when people point at corporations screwing workers, it’s not labeled “the failures of capitalism”- its always corruption or mismanagement or not enough government oversight- aka classical laissez-faire business as usual

[charleselindberg]

It is rare to see non-socialists engaging with socialist arguments in a level-headed, honest manner. I don't know what your politics are, I'm here because YouTube showed me your video and I'm a subscriber of Hakim. I think this was honestly great, though you didn't necessarily try and argue otherwise or prove him wrong. Would very much like to see you bring up your rebuttals to Hakim's points in direct dialogue.

[iliketoast-qb]

Most people can't even acknowledge that terms such as socialism and capitalism are infact NOT monolithic. Most think socialism is when an authoritarian government does stuff and capitalism is when we have free markets and democracy. To debate socialism vs capitalism on that level is pointless, which sadly applies to 90% of this comment section as well.

[tannerpost]

There's no doubt a double standard is here in the US when it comes to capitalism vs socialism. For example, while people here complain about the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact which was the "hitler stalin pact" because the Soviets supposedly "sided with fascists" (context needed), the United States has actually propped up fascist governments around the world.

Today, 51 years ago, a democratically elected socialist in Chile named Salvador Allende was overthrown by the US, and replaced with Augusto Pinochet.

[lapsedpacifistrou]

23:10 I don’t think it’s so much that it’s not talked about I think the problem is the opposite. When a capitalist country fails we dig down into the nuance of why whereas when a socialist country fails we just say it was socialism

[onwardtowaffles]

There's absolutely a double standard when evaluating capitalism vs. socialism. Nearly all scarcity in the global economy (food, housing, medicine) is artificial, and that alone kills millions every year.

[Gaiafreak]

"do people go to Cuba for advanced surgeries?"
Homie, POOR AMERICANS DON'T EVEN GET ACCESS TO THOSE AMERICAN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

[mjp]

26:09 Waaaait wait wait wait. Careful here- WHO exactly is going to the US for state of the art health care? The richest nation on earth, and my uncle, who owns his own house with no mortgage, already putting him in the upper wealth bracket in the US, practically died from a burst appendix because he thought it was better to sit with the worst stomach pain of his life for the better part of a week rather than see a doctor.

The US healthcare system is GREAT- if you’re rich

[unitedskiesunderthemoon]

Problem imo is that saying x economy fails without elaborating is an attempt to end casual conversation or even if you are really into history.

[athsumerius]

The point on Cuban Healthcare, you don't go to Cuba for an operation for a couple reasons.

1. You can't under US law.

2. Due to embargo, they don't have access to the same level of resources as other countries. Because of this, they take a preventative approach. Meaning, they make sure as few operations are needed in the first place (keeping children fed and healthy for example lowers strain on the healthcare system)

[mortagon]

At least he knows that Norway isn't a socialist country. As a Norwegian I constantly hear people, mostly Americans, describe our country as socialist which is just blatantly wrong. We may be a social democracy but we're very much a capitalist country.

[leeqbui]

Socialist will be the first to admit capitalism was revolutionary and a good thing when it first came about but our economy should naturally evolve past it with technological progress. Greed is the only thing keeping capitalism from being moved past.

[darthrevan]

It’s really interesting, to see someone who isn’t a socialist react to and explain content like that of Hakim in such a “unbiased” way like you do. This is genuinely incredible.

[JoaoVictor-nusz]

As someone living in a 100% capitalist country (Brasil), i see capitalism fail every day. I see people eating from the trash bin every fucking day. I see my fellow workers counting coins to pay the bus fee because we can't afford a personal vehicle, most of us, myself included, can't afford a home either so we must pay rent or be homeless. Around 60% of the population here live in similar condition and 20% live in worse conditions, not being able even to secure their own food with the money they make.
Like, if 80% of a country need to spend 36 years giving around 30% of their total income every month to buy a house, i don't think it is a great case of sucess.
My country based on agricutural export, and by law the exports don't pay any taxes, so all giant sums of money our ten or eleven oligarchs families make from the selling of the crops is not reflected on the rest of the country.
If communism would be good or bad, if it would fail or not i really don't know, but i can asure you, capitalism sucks and it is failing on me and on all my fellow workers every single day non-stop since the day i was born.

[thatcarguyUZ]

A point about the Cuban medical System since you brought up that people don't go there for technologically advanced surgeries. There's only a limited amount of technological advancement the Cuba is going to be able to do, considering the effects of the continuing Embargo of the United States against Cuba because they're still butthurt that the Cubans revolted against the multinational American corporations that were enslaving and mistreating their populace. The United States is so terrified that Cuba would show that socialism could actually produce good outcomes that they continue to try to strangle the life out of Cuba to this day.

[janewayofchaos]

No one ever talks about the deaths caused by capitalism. Homelessness, starvation, war etc. More people die regularly, and live a lower quality of life under capitalism than people realize.

[dsilver]

Since Cuba’s healthcare system isn’t profit-driven, they prioritize preventative medicine which is much less expensive and more beneficial to the population

[carlomdlf]

I think he actually would agree that socialist economies are only better circumstancially, based on the material and geopolitical context of each country. That is the reasonable conclusion for someone that understands dialectical materialism, which I think he does.

[thatpandaz]

Cubas healthcare is an example of not having the technology or even resources but having a healthcare system so good that it still manages to rival USA